The Fixers - Chapter 17: School Daze
by MonomythWriter
Summary: ...


- **Kenji** -

The overwhelming anxiety I feel inside is more than I can stomach. The others look on concerned as I rise from my seat. Shiina's hand strokes mine as I brace myself against the table, taking deep breaths before standing up straight. I clear my throat and look to the holographic display behind me.

"Yamaku Academy, as you all know, was established to help differently-abled students thrive within an environment free of judgement and the usual societal pressures. In our world, that changed five years ago…" I explain, giving the abridged history of our Yamaku. Yuuko volunteered me to give the explanation, despite all this information being in the data packet.

"The Pulse washed across the globe and changed some of us forever. Scientists called it an unexplainable evolution event, while others claimed divine intervention or even aliens. Regardless, roughly eight hundred and fifty teenagers around the world suddenly developed powers they could neither explain nor understand." Everyone seems to be following along fairly well, even Shiina, who should really know all this.

"Fear, mistrust and violent attacks were all over the news for the first several weeks in Japan. I was expelled from school the first time I used my powers to defend another student. It happened to a lot of us. For every one of us vilified for abusing the powers we were given, three more suffered the consequences for either doing the right thing or nothing at all. That was until the Yamaku Foundation opened the doors to its school to us."

"With Government funding, Yamaku doubled the size of its campus and now both those with disabilities and those with elements attend the same school. Most classes are mixed but obviously we are given training for our abilities while other kids have P.E. and other stuff… Dorms are separated too, housing for both student bodies sits on either side of the campus."

I take a breather and sip an ice cold glass of water that Yuuko was nice enough to bring to me. She pats my shoulder reassuringly and gestures for me to take a seat. I do so and Shiina wraps an arm around my shoulder. Public speaking is one of my biggest fears, second only to what Yuuko is about to describe.

"Thank you for the history lesson, Kenji. You did very well." Lilly offers with that pretty smile of hers and my heart can't decide whether to be calm or to speed up.

"She's right, it helps to have some intimate knowledge on this assignment because I think this may be your toughest one yet." Yuuko offers, opening her emerald book and flicking through several pages.

"Given Kenji and Shiina's history, this is an obvious one. You're here to stop the first attack on Yamaku Academy for Gifted Children by the anti-element group known as Humanitas."

"So I guess that means Kenji and Shiina are in reserve for this mission, since they'll have dupes on-site?" Molly rightly asks and Yuuko shakes her head vehemently.

"Not at all, you two will be key to this mission. You have intimate knowledge of the events, the school _and_ it's student body." She says with a smile in our direction.

"That's good, because I don't think you could stop me from being involved in this." Shiina says confidently and Yuuko chuckles.

"That's what I like to hear. You two know what's going to happen so I'm leaving the logistics up to you. I'll assist in any way I can."

"We _all_ will." Shin adds, a murmur of affirmation from the others following. I smile at them all and whisper a heartfelt thanks.

- **Hanako** -

I twirl as I walk behind my friend, taking a deep lungful of air and letting out a happy sigh. I'm out in the field! _Finally_!

"Hana, keep up! I'm not going to repeat the next part!" Shiina calls out to me and I race to join the tightly knit group.

"Sorry, Shiina! Just excited to be out and about with you guys for a change." I rub the back of my head as my cheeks warm.

"That's okay, but remember, you're only here for the set-up. You get your little butt back to the Shanghai at the first sniff of trouble." She points back in the direction we just came from with a smirk and I give her a salute, with a wink and a stuck out tongue.

"Roger!"

"Okay, guys. I think the best way to play this would be to approach the student council. It's made up of reps from both student bodies so getting the word out about the impending attack shouldn't be a problem." Shiina explains and Molly is quick to ask the question I was about to ask.

"Why would they believe you?"

"Because," Kenji offers, gesturing to himself and Shiina. "We're both on the student council. Our dupes are going to be there when _we_ walk in. Gonna be tough to argue with your… I guess we'd technically be their future selves."

"That's going to be awk-waaaaaard!" I giggle and Shiina shakes her head.

"Tell me about it. But considering there'll be two of me and Kenji, not to mention a few other dupes of you guys knocking about around campus, I think we can make a compelling argument."

We reach the old iron gates of Yamaku and Kenji wasn't kidding when he said this Yamaku was twice the size. There's buildings I recognise while others, although they look similar, are definitely newer.

Classes are in session so we manage to cross the main courtyard towards the reception in the admin building no problem. Kenji and Shiina approach the receptionist while we wait off to the side. It's oddly reassuring to be inside another Yamaku that isn't dilapidated, to see it _alive_ … It's nice.

"Here we go. That was easier than I thought it'd be." Shiina chuckles as she hands out several lanyards to us. I raise an eyebrow curiously and read the laminated badge. "Visitor?" I ask and Lilly chuckles.

"Cute." She says, lifting the lanyard over her head and adjusting her hair to drape it around her neck. "We _are_ technically visitors, Hanako."

"Guess you're right!" I laugh, quickly following her lead. The team affixes their passes as the end of day bell rings.

"We can access the main building through that corridor," Kenji gestures just behind me. "We should head towards the Student Council room as soon as possible. We're not hiding our presence but the less attention we draw the better, right?"

"I agree, though will the Student Council be meeting on a Saturday?" Shin asks, only for Kenji and Shiina to share a knowing smirk and answer in unison.

"We're sure."

- **Shiina** -

I feel strange. Not the usual strange from being in a parallel world but an eerie sense of déjà vu. It shouldn't surprise me really but I can't help but feel like a stranger in my own home.

"Here we are…" Kenji breathes heavily, tugging his scarf down a little and adjusting his glasses. "Do you think we should knock _or_ …?" He begins before I let out a snort of amusement and open the door to stride in confidently.

"I'm s-sorry but we're in th-th-the… m-middle of s-something…" The Past-Kenji's stammer becomes all but a whisper as he's the first to notice me and the others file into the room. He silently taps the shoulder of the brunette next to him and I give my past self a cheeky wink as her eyes go wide.

"HOLY _FUCK_!" She screams, jumping out of her seat, bringing the attention of the four other members to our direction. We stand silently as they all look shocked and I give them the quick once over.

Kenji Setou, Shiina Mikado and Lilly Satou. Representatives for the element student body. Elements are Barrier Generation, Energy Projection and Winged Flight, respectively.

Hisao Nakai, Shizune Hakamichi and Aoi Minato. Base-line humans. Disabilities are Arrhythmia, Deafness and Blindness, respectively.

"Wh-who are you people?" Past-Kenji asks while the other me grits her teeth. I'm ready if she tries to pull her fingers out but I aim to keep an air of calmness.

"Don't worry, Kenny. We're not a mass hallucination. We're _real_ , we're _you_ and we're here to _help_." I explain with a smile, watching the bevy of reactions with a keen eye. Hisao dutifully signs for Shizzy with a sceptical look on his face, one she mimics once he's done. Aoi hides behind the two of them while other Lilly tilts her head curiously at us and the other me flexes her right hand, the left hidden behind Kenji's flank.

"Hold up, Shiina." I move my hand into a T shape to halt her thought process. "Don't go shooting in here. We don't want a repeat of the post-festival chewing-out we got, _right_?"

My mention of a shared past experience makes her pause long enough for Shizzy to take centre stage and begin signing furiously with a face like thunder. It's too fast for Hisao to translate but Shin picks up the slack perfectly.

"She's saying that she has half a mind to call campus security if we do not state our intentions immediately. The other half wants to order Shiina to gun us down. I see _this_ Miss Hakamichi is just as relentless as she is in my universe." Shin comments with a dry chuckle.

"You don't know the half of it…" I sigh in an annoyed way. She's a real tyrant at times… "Tell her, and please use these exact words, to calm her tits. That should convince her that I'm me." I say, eliciting a smirk from both mine and Kenji's past selves and a titter from Hanako.

"I, um… Don't know the Sign for that _particular_ phrase, Miss Mikado…" Shin offers and both our Lilly and the other Lilly giggle in unison before sharing an interested look.

"Hisao…" I mutter and he cautiously signs what I said to Shizune and she furrows her brow before smiling slightly.

"Okay, she says, you've got my attention. What is it that you want?" Hisao translates her hand motions into words and I give a thumbs-up to the rest of the team with a crooked smile.

Now comes the hard part…


End file.
